Do these exercises for balance as you age

David Martinez, 63, mixes balancing exercises into his fitness routine as he works out at the downtown YMCA. Here he balances using a Bosu ball. (Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post)

Life is all about attaining balance, we are told. That becomes literally true as we age.

Balance can begin eroding in our 50s. Sometimes that's a result of losing strength in our legs and core, the muscles controlling much of our "getting around" movements. Equilibrium tends to decline as we age, and so does our eyesight, leaving our sense of visual markers less acute.

Health experts estimate that about one-third of all seniors slip and fall each year. Sometimes they stand up and brush themselves off with nothing but a red face and perhaps a bruise to show for it. Other times, the consequences are far more severe, including broken bones and concussions.

Step Up. (Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post)

Beyond that, a decreasing lack of confidence in their own mobility can be just as debilitating. Dare I climb these stairs? Will I stumble stepping off the curb or getting into my car?

But exercises that focus on balance can help keep this at bay. Starting in middle age, it pays to work on balance, building a baseline that will serve you in good stead as you enter retirement and beyond.

"When people retire, that's often when they become more sedentary," says Mary Schiavono, health and wellness coordinator at the Central YMCA in downtown Denver. "Balance starts to go. You just have to educate them to keep moving."

Schiavono says it doesn't take a big investment of time or equipment.

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"They need to find a routine and do it three times a week, but it's only 15 minutes," she says. "It's simple, a short duration and has great benefits. You can always get your balance back."

At 63, Denver resident David Martinez is an active guy. He hikes, climbs and bicycles, but also officiates at high school baseball and basketball games in central Colorado.

Seated Leg Lift. (Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post)

He understands how important balance is to these pursuits and wants to preserve his own. So 18 months ago he began doing simple workouts on a Bosu ball, the hemispherical ball with a squishy half-moon bottom and rigid plastic platform topping it. (Actually, top and bottom can be reversed, depending on the exercise.)

"At first I struggled just to stand on top of it," Martinez says. "Then I started doing more advanced movements, like squatting with my hands held out in front of me holding a wooden bar or towel.

Like so much in life, improved balance involves practice. No, you won't be doing gymnastic floor exercises at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. But with a modest, three-times-a-week investment, you can boost your balance to a new level.

Schiavono offers four basic exercises to start improving your balance. All of them can be made easier to accommodate skill levels, including outright beginners.

A couple of tips: Don't do these with your eyes closed, and it's wise to have something at hand to grab, such as a chair. Also, use slowly controlled movements.

Many other exercises can also help, even something as simple as heel raises that get you up on your tiptoes. You can find more routines at eldergym.com.

Schiavono knows how tough it is to stick with a program. "You have to pick exercises that can be finished in a short time."

1. Step Up

This exercise involves using a step-stool or bench of a comfortable height. Do 8-12 repetitions for each leg. The prop is optional, especially for beginners. If you're not comfortable holding an object, just extend your hands.

How to: Stand on the stool. Holding a small ball or pillow, extend your arms up at a 45-degree angle while lifting and extending a leg behind you. After your 8-12 repetitions, switch legs.“You can start out holding nothing -- no weight, no prop,' Schiavono says. “You can add weight as you get more proficient.'

2. One-Legged Dead Lift

How to: Standing upright with a light weight in your right hand at your side, bend from the waist and extend your left leg behind you, lowering the weight to the ground. Then return to the upright position and lift the weight over your head and bend your left leg into a right angle, as pictured, with your thigh parallel to the floor. Do this for 8-12 reps. Switch the weight to your left hand and repeat the exercise with your right leg.“You don't want to go to fast with this one,' Schiavono says. “Don't whip it along. It's actually easier to do them when you do them fast, but It's actually easier to do them when you do them fast, but a dynamic motion doesn't really help improve your balance.'

3. Bosu Squat

This exercise uses a Bosu ball, a hemispherically shaped exercise device available at most athletic stores.

How to: Place the flat side of the ball on the floor. Steadying yourself with a chair if needed, step onto the ball and balance on both feet. Slowly lower yourself into a squat, with your hands extended in front of you parallel to the floor. Hold for five seconds. As you improve, try holding a light weight and extend the time you're in the squat position.

4. Seated Leg Lift

The best benefits for this exercise will come using a Versaball, a round, bounceable ball you can sit on. These are available at most sporting-goods stores, but you can also use a chair.

How to: Sit on the ball or chair and stabilize yourself, then lift one of your feet up from the floor, keeping your knees bent. If you're comfortable doing so, perform bicep curls and overhead presses using whatever weight you are comfortable with. Do this with both legs for a combined workout time of 5 minutes.

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